Literacy

Last week, students from Year 3 & 4 participated in the all day PETAA Writing program with author Deb Abela. Deb is the author of Max Remy, Grimsdon, the Kindness Project and the Most Marvellous Spelling Bee. Throughout the day, Deb shared the secrets of a professional author with our students, and regularly complimented Solway students on their skills and ideas as writers, and respectful interactions as learners. Below are impressive excerpts from the day written by our budding 3/4 authors. 

Ari C, 4M

‘What was that?’

‘Nothing,’ my brother complained. ‘Go back to sleep.’

But it happened again, and this time he couldn’t ignore it. The door had slammed shut as a cold wind blew past.

‘Who’s there?’ my brother stumbled.

‘I’ll go check.’

I tiptoed all the way to the door and opened it. It creaked open as I saw a ghoul. It was black with a scythe on his back. He stepped forward, but before he got close, he disappeared before my eyes.

‘I will be back,’ he whispered.

I couldn’t get back to sleep that night. The words were stuck in my head.

Maxi D, 4M

Oh no, it’s sharing time.

‘Oh please don’t pick me,’ I whispered. I was sweating, my mouth was dry, then the ultimate torture, fear, and scariest thing ever happened... the teacher picked me.

I felt like every step to the front took as much effort as a marathon, but I finally made it. I opened my mouth and started reading my work. When I was done, the classroom fell silent.

Elisa S, 4M

Nickollet was intrigued and looked up with a reassuring smile.

‘You can tell me anything.’

Leaf looks up.

‘You promise you won’t tell anybody?’ He looks up at Nickollet with a worried expression, his hands trembling.

Nickollet looks at him, noticing his hands fidgeting, and sighs.

‘I promise,’ she says, calming.

Leaf checks nobody is there and whispers,

‘I’m an orphan...’

Mary squints her eyes and asks,

‘What did you say?’

Leaf looks away, flushed with embarrassment.

‘I... I’m an orphan.’

Caitlin T, 4M

The Queen entered, then she strutted down the hallway.

When she exited the castle, a screaming crowd surrounded her with cheers.

‘We love you Amilea,’ they shouted.

She was not a tyrant, quite the opposite really. She was the nicest queen the world had ever seen.

The Noisy Night, by Harriet L

(a short story)

I woke up, what was that howling and scratching, a wolf?

I was getting scared by the second and now the sound was getting closer. I screamed, mum woke up, ”what’s wrong?” she asked. Then the noises stopped… “nothing” I said puzzled. 

Then the noises started again. I could bear no longer, I grabbed a torch and ran outside. Then then I fell down a trap, it was a haunted  hole  , I had blood and spider webs on myself. Then a vampire threw me down into a blood lake, now I was drowning in the blood! 

Suddenly I flew out of the lake, my hand suddenly touched something… wings. “I grew wings!”. I also had pointy teeth and braided red hair, I was just like my favourite animal, a vampire bat

Sarah Watkins

Acting Assistant Principal/Literacy Specialist